Out of the blue one day, a stray cat showed up at a house in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. The homeowner noticed the cat, but when he came in for a closer look, he was shocked by the animal's incredibly poor condition. The cat had mange and couldn't open its eyes because of all the crusting.
The cat, who would come to be known as Cotton, was taken in by Carmen Weinberg, founder of Animal Friends Project Inc.
"[The homeowner] said Cotton came out of nowhere and started eating from the bowl of food he had for his cat. He said Cotton seemed very hungry, like he had not eaten in days," Weinberg said.
To help the cat, the homeowner would first need to catch him. He placed some food in a carrier and watched as the starving cat walked right into the carrier and started eating.
In desperation, the man posted on Facebook seeing help, which is where Weinberg saw his request. She couldn't say no, especially when she saw how much pain the cat must be experiencing.
"Early the next morning, I drove to pick [the cat] up. I took him immediately to my vet, Justin Bartlett Animal Hospital, and they confirmed that he was suffering from mange and was very dehydrated and malnourished," Weinberg said.
Cotton could not open his eyes because of disease and infection, and he had been wandering around outside completely blind for quite some time. Despite the pain he was in, Cotton was calm and friendly with Weinberg and the vet.
"He purred the whole time they were examining him! He received antibiotics, a dose of Revolution (flea meds) and fluids, and we went home. Fortunately, I had a spare bathroom where he could stay. Cotton was very skinny, but he ate well and was in good spirits. He must have sensed we were trying to help him, and he loved to be touched," Weinberg explained.
Weinberg brought Cotton to her home so she could nurse him back to health. In just a few days, the medication kicked in, and Cotton began to heal. He lost the crustiness from the infection on and in his ears, he slowly began to gain weight, and his fur started to grow back.
"We [used] coconut oil to soothe his skin and gave him lots of water and canned food to keep him hydrated. Cotton stayed hunched over for days and days and seemed very uncomfortable. It was hard seeing him in that condition, knowing only time would heal him," Weinberg said.
The most amazing sight greeted Weinberg and her family when Cotton finally opened his eyes. They were mismatched colors: One was yellow and one was blue!
Cotton has made a full recovery, although he does have some skin flareups from time to time. He is still with Weinberg and seems to be making a case for her to keep him permanently.
"His personality has changed over time. He used to not have a lot of patience when touched. He is much more affectionate now. He gives me kisses and comes looking for attention often," Weinberg stated. She said she will have a hard time letting him go.